Summer 2013 TV Preview

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This summer features the end of several long-running cable series.

By Eric Goldman

In recent years, summer -- once virtually ignored -- has become an increasingly viable time of year for TV shows, especially on cable. This summer seems bigger than ever, especially given how many notable shows will debut their final seasons. We'll be saying goodbye to Futurama, Burn Notice, Breaking Bad and Dexter soon, the latter making the leap from premiering in September to June for the first time.

There will also be new seasons of plenty of other popular series, the debut of the next animated versions of Batman and the Avengers and, oh yeah... the Bluths are back!

Take a look at some of the summer highlights to come...

Arrested Development

Airs On: Netflix

Premiere: 5/26/13

No, we can hardly believe it either. But seven years after Arrested Development ended its brilliant, beloved, but low-rated run on FOX, the series has miraculously returned – its growing popularity through the years having led to Netflix making a deal with executive producers Mitch Hurwitz and Ron Howard to bring Arrested Development back again. With the cast quite busy these days and unable to appear throughout the series -- yet still eager to play the Bluth clan again -- look for 15 character-specific episodes, all launching on the same day.

Marvel's Avengers Assemble

Airs On: Disney XD

Premiere: 5/26/13

Fans were upset when Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes was cancelled, to make way for a new series, more directly echoing the movie Avengers line-up and tied to the new animated series universe begun with Ultimate Spider-Man. But we'll see if opinion changes, now that the show is actually debuting, beginning with a one-hour preview, before ongoing episodes start airing on July 7th. Check out our advance review!

The Killing

Airs On: AMC

Premiere: 6/2/13

It's been a wild road for The Killing, which debuted to a lot of acclaim only to see the reaction turn very negative, with many feeling the series relied too heavily on red herrings and go-nowhere subplots. After Season 2 (and the end of the initial murder mystery), AMC actually cancelled the series... only to resurrect it a few months later, with a new deal giving it a quick second window on Netflix. With a second chance and a new murder to solve, can The Killing recapture that early mojo?

The Venture Bros.

Airs On: Adult Swim

Premiere: 6/2/13

Venture Bros. hasn't aired a new episode since 2010, but at last, the very unusual, very popular (you should see all the Comic-Con cosplay) series is back. Adult Swim promises that Season 5 will "pick up up moments after the stunning climax of season 4 and hits the ground running for a season of globe-trotting adventure and stay-at-home suspense."

Teen Wolf

Airs On: MTV

Premiere: 6/3/13

With a growing audience of fans -- including some outside the intended demo saying, “hey, this is kind of cool!” -- Teen Wolf returns with a lot of momentum. Season 3 finds the arrival of a new Alpha pack, who are attempting to recruit Derek (Tyler Hoechlin) into their ranks. Meanwhile, Scott (Tyler Posey) must learn more about his own fate and whether he’s destined to become an Alpha himself.

The Hero

Airs On: TNT

Premiere: 6/6/13

Not content to be a big movie star who also comes back and wrestles from time to time -- and now has an HBO pilot he's starring in -- The Rock also has decided to conquer reality TV. Dwayne Johnson serves as producer and host on this new series, and while we're not quite sure how one qualifies to be a real "hero" via a reality series, Rock will probably make the whole thing entertaining.

Burn Notice

Airs On: USA

Premiere: 6/6/13

After a successful run, Burn Notice is going to come to an end this year with its seventh season. The show has revealed many a guy behind the guy behind the guy villains when it comes to those who burned Michael Westen, but we'll see what's in store for Michael and his friends as his story comes to an end.

Graceland

Airs On: USA

Premiere: 6/6/13

USA's newest crime fighter series goes for more of a group dynamic, loosely based on the real life oddity of a criminal's fancy beach house seized by the government - and remade into the dorm-like home for a group of FBI, DEA and US Customs agent. White Collar creator Jeff Eastin is behind this USA series as well.

In the Flesh

Airs On: BBC America

Premiere: 6/6/13

Here's a new spin on the zombie story. In the Flesh follows zombie teenager Kieren Walker (Luke Newberry), one of many zombies being reintegrated back into his community, following rehabilitation and medication. But what Kieren did during his more mindless days isn't so easy to move past..

Continuum

Airs On: Syfy

Premiere: 6/7/13

We're getting a pretty quick turnaround between Season 1 and Season 2 of this Canadian import here in the U.S., since Season 2 is already airing in Canada. The new season begins with future cop Kiera (Rachel Nichols) attempting to keep her modern day allies away from her more questionable methods, as she continues to try to track down the displaced terrorists from her era.

Sookie Stackhouse is back, plus the Planet Express crew and Dexter Morgan begin their final journeys and more on Page 2...